


got a feeling and you give me no choice

by isacabral



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Junksen Week 2018, Really Angst, but happy ending so, day 5: royalty/high society, proceed at your own risk, xena: warrior princess AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 10:01:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15628302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isacabral/pseuds/isacabral
Summary: “It's ironic, isn't it? How a single stick can change the entire path of one's destiny.”A Xena: Warrior Princess AU (When Fates Collide, 6x18)





	got a feeling and you give me no choice

**Author's Note:**

> Uh, okay. So first things first: this haven't been betaed. It's a XWP AU so probably not everyone's cup of tea or whatever. AND YES IT'S A MAMMA MIA TITLE. Deal with it. Or not?
> 
> Anyway, I know it says major character death and description of violence BUT!!!!! i promise you good things come for those who wait. Enjoy!

“That grain must be allocated.  The people must eat,” Roman emperor, Jesse Swanson, said in an authoritative voice.

  
  
His friend and counselor, Benjamin Applebaum, cleared his throat nervously. “Uh, Jesse?”

  
  
“Excuse me.  What is it, Benji?”

  
  
“The Chinese emissaries have arrived.”

  
  
“Ah, yes, excellent.” Jesse smiled triumphantly. “Lao Ma's peacemakers.”

  
  
“This visit is very important to us.” Benji agreed. 

  
“Of course.” Jesse nodded. “And, as always, Benji — I greatly appreciate your counsel,” he laughed, a tad manically. “My good friend. Now — escort them in.” 

  
“Open the gate! Take your positions!” 

  
There was a bit of a commotion at the gate until a womanly figure walked through the commotion on a horse donning a full fledged armor, a fearsome look in her eyes. She galloped towards the entrance of the palace where Jesse and Benji were, maintaining steady eye contact the whole time.

 

The woman got off the horse and walked up the stairs until she was at the same level as the men; only then she took off her helmet, revealing her long and sleek blonde hair. Jesse smirked.

 

“My Emperor,” the tall woman greeted.

 

“My Empress.”

 

//

 

It had been five years since Aubrey’s initial meeting with Jesse. Contrary to her original belief, Jesse didn’t try to kill her when she had asked if she could join him in his quest to become ruler of the world and they had, instead, become powerful allies. Now, as his wife and Empress of Rome, alongside to being responsible over the Roman Army, Aubrey has reached the regal status her father always wanted for her.

 

“Oh, I have some entertainment planned for my lady tonight,” Jesse informed her after they walked into the palace.

 

“A new wrestler from Thrace?” Aubrey smiled excitedly.

 

“No,” Jesse frowned. “A new play from Athens. I thought you’d appreciate a taste of your own culture.”

 

“Oh,” Aubrey’s shoulders sagged in disappointment. “More drivel from old men with tricky names.” She put on a fake smile. “That’s so thoughtful of you.”

 

“Emperor—” they were interrupted by Benji and the newly arrived emissaries from China.

 

“Ah— honored emissaries,” Jesse greeted them before turning to Aubrey. “I need to go.”

 

“Well, the senate is meeting to vote on new weaponry for my men,” Aubrey brushed him off. “I feel I should be there.”

 

“Of course.” Jesse agreed. “Benji, accompany her, please.”

 

Aubrey opened her mouth to argue and tell Jesse she didn’t need any escorts, but she knew it was useless. There was no going against the mighty emperor of Rome.

 

//

 

Aubrey's regal bearing was immediately apparent for outsiders when she joined Jesse on the balcony of the royal stateroom to watch the play from Athens. As he delivers his speech, announcing that the Senate has unanimously voted to make him Emperor and Aubrey Empress for life, Aubrey could barely contain her dismay; this was all she had ever worked for in her life but… was that it? Wasn’t there… more?

 

_“The love we have is stronger than the Elysian fields or Tartarus.”_

 

_“We're gonna be together for eternity.”_

 

_“And I wouldn't have it any other way.”_

 

The whole stateroom erupted in applause as the play ended and Aubrey used the moment do discreetly wipe her face; she didn’t want anyone to see she had been crying.

 

“Let me introduce to you — the writer of  ‘You Light the Way’! Greece's own, Emily, the visionary voice of Athens!”

 

Aubrey had composed herself just in time to watch as a beautiful brunette joined the actors on stage, smiling gracefully and blushing slightly at the praise. As soon as Aubrey laid eyes on her, the blonde felt the wind being knocked out of her; she had never felt such an intense mixture of attraction and deeper feelings all at once.

 

Was this what being arrowed-shot by Cupid felt like?

 

Aubrey needed to talk to this Emily woman now.

 

//

 

At the post-theatre banquet, Jesse was too busy mingling other politics, networking, so Aubrey enjoyed the brief moment away from him to approach Emily. The writer was talking with some of the actors from her play when the Empress approached.

 

“Excuse me. May I talk to you, Emily?” she asked gently, touching the brunette’s elbow lightly.

 

“Oh!” Emily startled. “Yes, of course, Empress.”

 

Aubrey prompted them to a more secluded area of the banquet, taking a deep breath before speaking.

 

Gods, why was she so nervous?

 

“I found your play very moving,” she finally said, looking to Emily and seeing nothing but kind brown eyes staring back at her. “What inspires you?”

 

“It's like... the words come from somewhere else,” Emily smiled slightly, blushing and making Aubrey smile. “I just write them down.”

 

Aubrey was dumbfounded; was Emily really unaware of how awe-inspiring her words were?

 

“But you, Empress — all of Rome talks about you!” Emily went on, looking at Aubrey as if she held all the world’s answers. “The country thrives. The people adore you. They say that the army would follow you through the gates of Hades.”

 

Aubrey really wished she could believe Emily’s words like she did with her play.

 

“Well, everything has its price, Emily.” Aubrey commented, taking a sip of her wine.

 

She didn’t want to talk about herself. She needed to talk about what she couldn’t stop thinking about throughout the whole play.

 

“In the third act, you had your hero throw himself over the cliff with no fear of dying — all for her.  Do you really believe that kind of love exists?”

 

Aubrey was aware of the earnest in her questioning but she couldn’t help herself.

 

“That's what we all dream about, isn't it?” Emily smiled sweetly at her and Aubrey felt her insides twisting with something pleasant. “Someone who looks so deeply into our soul that they'd find something worth dying for.”

 

The brunette spoke the last sentence so softly, like a whisper; Aubrey felt herself being drawn to the candour in Emily’s eyes.

 

“Excuse me,” Jesse said uproariously, interrupting the moment. “Your play was, uh... riveting.  Well-done. Thank you,” his smile towards Emily was more of a grimace before he turned his attention to Aubrey. “The army's expecting us first thing in the morning.”

 

Disappointment coiled inside Aubrey. She let out a long-suffering sigh before putting on a smile for Emily.

 

“Thank you, Emily, for honoring Rome with your play tonight,” Emily gave her a bright smile in return. “Good night.”

 

“Good night Empress.”

 

//

 

Later that night, not really knowing why, Aubrey found herself drawn towards Emily’s quarters. Jesse had just left, arguing he had some business to discuss with Benji since Aubrey didn’t… _need_ him, so the Empress went over to her balcony to think.

 

Emily looked so majestic and ethereal standing right across from Aubrey, at her own room’s balcony, the moonlight’s beam shining down on her. It took her breath away.

 

Aubrey’s heart felt full; she’s sure this is definitely what being arrow-shot by Cupid’s arrow feels like.

 

The sentiment of fulfillment in Aubrey’s heart suddenly turned into a sharp pain, white agony making the blonde empress double over and cry out. The last thing she saw before blacking out, however, wasn’t Emily looking over at her with concern etched over her features; rather she saw the evil smirk of Rome’s high priestess, the Komissar Luisa.

 

And then nothing.

 

//

 

Aubrey woke up from her sleep — a restless one at that, filled with what felt like were memories from another time — with a sharp pain still coursing through her chest and an angry Jesse pacing around their room chamber.

 

Komissar was tied down in the corner, being held down by two of Aubrey’s guards.

 

“Tell me, Luisa,” Jesse said, his tone stone cold. “Is there a single reason I shouldn't kill you right now?”

 

“Yes,” Aubrey growled, sitting up with difficulty, but brushing off the help she was being offered. “Because  _I_ wanna do it. In the forum before the public.”

 

She turned to glare at Komissae, but found the priestess smirking. As if she wasn’t affected by the situation at all.

 

It caused something unpleasant to settle on Aubrey’s lower stomach.

 

“Of course,” Jesse conceded. “Benji, have her interrogated. There may be others involved. And make sure you warn the guards about her... _powers_.”

 

Aubrey watched in concern as Luisa got whisked away by the guards, her smirk not diminishing at all at her impending fate. The sharp pain in her heart went away but the heavy dread in her stomach remained.

 

“Meanwhile you should stay put and rest, Aubrey,” Jesse all but ordered. “I’ll take care of everything.”

 

Aubrey nodded and didn’t say anything; as long as Jesse believed he was in charge of everything, he’d stay out of her way enough for her to figure out what in the gods names was going on.

 

//

 

The next morning, Aubrey noticed a strange commotion with her guards while she was sitting at the breakfast table with Jesse.

 

“Where is Benji going with the royal guard?” she asked, frowning.

 

“Oh, arresting that woman playwright,” Jesse responded flatly. “Luisa confessed that she was an accomplice in her plan. Apparently, they were both working with assassins from Ch'in to destroy us.”

 

Aubrey gripped her knife tightly, resisting the urge to jam it right into Jesse’s chest; what was he saying? Couldn’t he see this was just one more of Luisa’s lie?

 

“Hope you weren't too fond of her,” Jesse said, probably taking notice of her silence.

 

Aubrey refused to respond. She needed a plan and, for that, she needed to talk to Emily first.

 

//

 

After breakfast, Aubrey managed to sneak down to the dungeons where she knew Jesse kept his prisoners while the crosses were being built. As to not arouse any suspicion, she’d brought down with her one of the guards in her army she actually trusted; a fierce redhead named Chloe.

 

“This is a great honor, Empress,” the guard said. “You know, you once did a great favor for me.”

  
“Oh, I did?” Aubrey asked, distracted and nervous.

  
  
“Yes,” Chloe agreed. “My wife was very ill, and you allowed your physician to treat her. You saved her life, you know.”

 

This time Aubrey actually smiled, remembering what Emily had said about the people loving her the night before. “I’m pleased.”

 

They walked in the cell where Emily was in time to see one of Jesse’s guards finishing aggressively cutting Emily’s long, dark hair. It made Aubrey see red.

 

“Leave us!’ she vociferated, maintaining her aggressive stance until the man left them. “You too,” she turned to Chloe, who seemed to hesitate.

 

“I can’t leave the prisoner unguarded.”

 

“It’s okay,” Aubrey pressed on until she finally relented, leaving her alone with Emily.

 

“Empress,” Emily said solemnly, her voice rough — so different from the night before — and it clawed at Aubrey’s insides to see her so broken.

 

“Jesse tells me that you are an assassin,” Aubrey looked over at Emily and saw hurt and confusion etched all over her face. “Is this true?”

 

“An assassin? I've never harmed anyone in my life,” the writer said firmly. “But why should you believe  _me_ instead of your husband, right?”

 

She sounded hopeless, avoiding eye contact but Aubrey saw her tears. Something was terribly wrong here. Suddenly, the blonde had a flash of something; it was brief, but it was clearly Emily telling Aubrey had taught her there were things worth dying for.

 

“I believe you,” Aubrey said softly, causing Emily to look back up at her.

 

 _“Why?_ ”

 

 _Because of a vision I had of you and I last night_. Komissar.

 

“You think that love is worth dying for,” Aubrey said instead, walking to where Emily was tied up, giving her a tender smile. “That's not exactly the path of an assassin.”

 

There was a brief moment where Emily retributed the smile, but it soon fell.

 

“They're building crosses,” she said somberly. 

 

“Yes. You can't have a crucifixion without crosses.” Aubrey sighed. “Why would Jesse want you dead?”

 

“I don't know,” Emily said despairingly. “I'm a playwright. I live on a vineyard by the sea.  I— I have a simple life,” this time, she looked at Aubrey, clearly not bothering with the tears streaming silently down her face. “What possible threat could I be to the emperor of Rome?”

 

“I don't know.” Aubrey said, gripping Emily’s hand tightly. “But I intend to find out, okay? Don’t give up.”

 

Aubrey could feel Emily’s eyes on her as she walked away and she really hoped she could make things right. She just couldn’t let her die.

 

//

 

Aubrey was out of breath when she finally reached the courtyard, where Emily was about to be crucified. Her talk with Komissar had been… revealing and her mind was still echoing all the painful memories she had poured on Aubrey’s soul.

 

 _“Tell me who the brunette one is! Tell me who she is!” // “You taught me that there are things worth dying for. Bree.” // “You can't have a crucifixion without crosses, Benji.” // “_ _—_ _which brings me to this_ _—_ _defining Aubrey moment_ _—_ _mysterious, romantic..."_

 

Images from her other life, her _original_ life, from something else… No matter what now, Aubrey knew. She knew the truth about Jesse and about Emily and there was no way in tartarus she was going to let him take her away from her again.

 

“Stop!” Aubrey bellowed to the courtyard, making everyone stop. “I know the truth, Jesse. I know who I was. I know who _you_ were.”

 

“What on Earth are you talking about?” Jesse laughed it off nervously.

 

“Crucifying me on the beach was drastic. I must have been your worst nightmare,” she said low and menacingly and Jesse sighed, dragging her off to the sidelines so they could talk privately.

 

“Yes, well. I've had better experiences with women,” he conceded and, even though she knew, Aubrey couldn’t help being shocked.

 

“So, it’s true. You betrayed me!”

 

“A regret I harbored for eternity. I gave us a second chance, Aubrey!”

 

“You’ve tampered with the Fates and their loom, Jesse. This is not love, this is madness!”

 

Aubrey knows the rules of the Loom: that only she or Jesse have the power to change their fates back and that she can now pose a real problem for him.

 

And she couldn’t believe what she was hearing; as Jesse rambled on that he only acted like a psycho because he believed him and Aubrey could conquer the world together, the blonde had only one thing in mind.

 

She must save Emily. And, for that to happen, she’d have to sacrifice herself and her happiness so the playwright could be free and happy herself.

 

“Alright!” Aubrey interrupted Jesse. “Fine. _If_ you set Emily free, I will be your Empress and we will conquer the world,” she took in a deep breath before continuing. “But if you kill her... I swear to all the gods, Jesse, I _will_ dedicate this life to changing things back to the way they were. And I can do it because we both know I have _many_ skills.”

 

Jesse looked from her to Emily with an annoyed look in his eyes. But, eventually, he agreed.

 

“Release the prisoner!” he bellowed and the guards started setting Emily free.

 

The feeling, oddly enough, was more sweet than bitter for Aubrey.

 

//

 

Aubrey rushed to Emily as soon as she was free.

 

“Emily!” she went to help the brunette get up, shoving the guards out of her way. “Can you stand? Are you all right?”

 

“Thank you for saving my life, Empress. I am in your debt,” Emily tried bowing down to her but she weak and almost fell down, so Aubrey held her up.

 

“I'm not your Empress, Emily,” she said tenderly. “I'm your…” your what? Your soulmate? Your girlfriend from another timeline? She couldn’t bring herself to say it. “I’m your friend.”

 

Emily gave her a weak, but sweet smile and Aubrey almost cracked right there and then.

 

“Emily, you must go back to your vineyard by the sea. Be happy. Write all those great plays you've got inside you.”

 

“Aubrey, I…” Emily hesitated. “When I thought I was going to die — it all became so clear. My life is empty, despite my success. I write about love but... I've never felt it before.”

 

Oh gods, she really wasn’t making this easy on Aubrey.

 

“Rome is not safe for you, Emily.  Leave now, please,” she was aware she was begging, but right now, she didn’t care.

 

“I will never forget you,” Emily promised, mounting on the horse that had been brought for her and wiping her tears.

 

As she watched her leave, feeling her heart being torn apart, Aubrey just hoped Jesse held out to his end of their bargain.

 

//

 

Which, of course he didn’t. Aubrey should have known better.

 

Instead, he tried to kill Emily with Komissar’s help, betraying her, and now Aubrey was being framed for trying to poison Jesse. Locked up inside the same cell that earlier that day held Emily, Aubrey came down to the gloomiest realization about her destiny so far; she had to accept it.

 

“Bree,” Aubrey heard a whisper and, for a moment, thought she was delusional.

 

“Emily…” she said weakly, trying to focus her eyes on the playwright’s face. The beating she took and her severe loss of blood were making it hard. “You shouldn't have come.”

 

“Uh, Kommissar showed me something. Another world or, or time, I guess.”

 

“That doesn't matter now,” she tried and sit up, moaning out in pain.

 

“I'm sorry,” Emily apologized, trying to help the best she could.

 

“That's OK.” Aubrey smiled.

 

Emily was always so sweet. Anywhere, any time. She was always sweet.

 

“Aubrey…” the brunette started, causing Aubrey to open her eyes and try to look at her. “When I'm with you, this emptiness that I have felt my entire life is… it’s just gone. You have to tell me what's going on.”

 

Aubrey took the deepest breath she could. Having already accepted her fate, there was nothing left for herself to hide from anyone.

 

“Jesse changed our fate, giving us this miserable world.”

 

“There must be something that I can do.”

 

“No!” Aubrey said firmly. “What you can do is get out of here alive. I have to go through this alone.”

 

“I can’t let you die,” Emily’s voice was small, tears staining her face.

 

“Some things are worth dying for,” Aubrey gave her a lopsided smile. “Isn't that what your play was about? Being prepared to sacrifice all for love?”

 

“For love,” Emily whispered, touching her forehead to Aubrey’s.

 

“In the other world, my destiny was linked to Jesse and that cross… I hated them both. But now I realize that everything happens precisely as it should,” she nodded, each word making her resolve stronger. “Precisely.”

 

“Aubrey, I…”

 

“Go now, Em. Please.”

 

“I can’t,” Emily whimpered.

 

“Go now, get out!”

 

“No.”

 

“Get out.”

 

“Don't.”

 

“Empress, it's time,” they both overheard a guard bellow and Aubrey pressed a quick kiss to Emily’s lips before being whisked away.

 

“I'll love you forever.”

 

//

 

Destiny is used with regard to the finality of events as they have worked themselves out; and to that same sense of “destination”, projected into the future to become the flow of events as they will work themselves out.

 

Aubrey knew that, no matter what destiny, what world or timeline she ended up after this, her destiny would always be connected to Emily’s. They _would_ eventually find their way back to each other as they always had.

 

That certainty made all the hurt and pain disappear as she got nailed at the cross.

 

“I love you, Emily,” were Aubrey’s last conscious words before she got engulfed by blackness.

 

//

 

When Aubrey opened her eyes again, she realized she was back in the woods where her and Emily first met.

 

“Hey,” Emily greeted her gently, giving Aubrey one of her usual soft smiles.

 

“Hi.”

 

“You brought the world back to us,” Emily commented casually, as if they hadn’t just experienced hell together. “I'm glad. I like this one better.”

 

“Even though you're not a famous playwright?” Aubrey smirked, getting up so she could hug Emily.

 

“Fame — who needs it?” Emily laughed it off in her ear and if there was one thing Aubrey was sure was that she never wanted to stop listening to that. “Did you really like my play?”

 

“Meh, It was all right,” Aubrey laughed, earning herself a shove. “Maybe it could've done with a few more fight scenes.”

 

Emily rolled her eyes at her, crossing her arms with a cute little pout on her lips Aubrey couldn’t resist kissing.

 

“Everyone's a critic.”

**Author's Note:**

> if you made it this far please let me know what you think!!! here or at my tumblr: freaking-isadorkable.tumblr.com


End file.
